The present invention is directed to the art of producing a food ingredient or item which is used in producing a baked product, such as a fruit filled bar or a fruit topped Danish roll and more particularly to a cold process, bake stable or oven stable fruit paste which can be stored for long periods of time, applied to a dough structure and then baked into a finished baked product.
The invention is particularly applicable for producing a fruit paste which is oven stable or baked stable to be used as an ingredient for a baked fruit product and it will be described with particular reference thereto; however, the invention is broader and may be used in some instances to produce a paste or food ingredient which is based upon a more neutral flavoring constituent, such as chocolate or caramel.
An aspect of the present invention is the blending of two instant corn starches and ultra rapidly dispersing this starch blend in a liquid phase or constituent having free water, so that the dispersion of the blend of instant starches is accomplished prior to the hydration of the starches by the available free water of the liquid phase. To accomplish this objective, in the invention, the blend of starches must be ultra rapidly dispersed within the liquid phase or component, which operation, in practice, is accomplished by use of a high speed blender of the type used to introduce dry powder into a liquid phase. Such a blender is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,606,270. This patent is incorporated by reference herein to illustrate the ultra rapid dispersion of the starch blend into the liquid phase of the food item prior to hydration of the separate starches. The blender of this patent is the general type of blender which is employed to accomplish one aspect of the present invention.
The present invention involves a blend of an instant granular modified corn starch hydratable into a highly viscous free standing mass when exposed to free water. This type of modified starch is sold under the trademark MIRA-THIK by A.E. Staley Manufacturing Company of Decatur, Ill. A product sheet on this modified starch is incorporated by reference herein.
The invention uses a second corn starch which is an instant granular natural corn starch hydratable by free water to form a resilient, colloidal gel structure. In practice the second starch is MIRA-GEL sold by A.E. Staley Manufacturing Company of Decatur, Ill. A product sheet of this natural starch is incorporated by reference herein.
In one preferred embodiment of the present invention two texture control starches are added to the stabilizing blend of cold starches. In practice BINASOL 15 is used to add smoothness to the resulting paste. A second texture control starch is sometimes used to create the pulpy type of texture, such as found in Fig Newton bars. This texture control starch in practice is REDI-TEX. Both of these dry texture control starches, which are used in one embodiment of the invention, are sold by A.E. Staley Manufacturing Company of Decatur, Ill. and product sheets for these two texture control starches are also incorporated by reference herein.
In one aspect of the invention a colloidal grade of microcrystalline cellulose with a small amount of carboxymethyl cellulose, is used to add coherency as well as to enhance the heat stability of the inventive paste. In practice the cellulose is sold under the trademark AVICEL sold by F.M.C. Corporation. Contrary to normal use of this cellulose, the invention masticates the needle shaped particles into ultra fine particulates. A product sheet regarding this cellulose is also incorporated by reference herein.
A.E. Staley Manufacturing Company sells a number of cold process starches for the food industry and a brochure of the various starches available from A.E. Staley Manufacturing Company is incorporated by reference herein. The several product sheets do not form a part of the present invention although they do relate to constituents of the paste constructed in accordance with the present invention. They are incorporated by reference herein to define the types of constituents used in practicing the preferred embodiment of the invention.
Producers of fruit pastes and other bakery fillings normally manufacture these pastes in a pumpable form using hot processing techniques. Such techniques are required especially for high solids pastes such as over 60-65% solids. Most commercial fruit pastes are of the high solids type. To produce such pastes or fillings with a high solids content, the standard technique involves heating the liquid phase and the resulting paste for the purposes of stabilizing the filling or paste so that it is oven stable or bake stable for subsequent use in a baking environment. It has been conventional wisdom that such hot processing of fruit paste to produce an oven stable or bake stable ingredient results in the best quality and a product with a superior shelf life. However, the food industry has developed an alternative process for preparing food items known as a cold process technology, which does not require the addition of any significant heat in manufacturing the end product. There are several obvious reasons why the food industry has attempted to employ a cold process technology. The addition of heat to the process, in the form of steam or electricity, requires a substantial input of energy, which is expensive. In high solids materials, i.e. above 60-65% solids, heating of the product during processing requires a substantial amount of time. Thus, time necessary for producing the product, such as a food paste, is increased when using a hot processing technique. In addition, some food products, such as fruit paste used in bakery products lose some of their fresh taste characteristics by long time exposure to heat before the baking operation. Some products take on the characteristics of a cooked fruit product, when a natural or uncooked physical property is required for the end product. Fruit pastes, and other food products, which have added flavoring and color pigmentation to enhance the taste and appearance of the end product have these characteristics diminished by using the hot processing technique. In most instances, fruit pastes, fillings and other similar products are to be stored and shipped for subsequent use. Consequently, they must be cooled prior to packing and then reconstituted to the desired characteristics of the fruit product at the bakery. This added process operation increases the processing time and increases the equipment required for producing a bake stable fruit paste. When the paste is cooled subsequent to a hot processing operation and prior to packing for storage and shipment, added time and equipment are required. This expense is not justified by enhanced characteristics of the paste.
There is an effort under way to produce fruit based paste for bakery applications using a cold process technology. Since the most important function of the fruit paste produced by the cold process technology is the bake stability of the paste, the cold process technology must produce a product that can withstand temperatures of a baking operation without negatively affecting the baked product. The cold process technology must be designed to control the spread of the filling or paste as it is heated. In the past, it has been recognized that the oven stability or bake stable characteristic of the fruit paste or filling is affected by the stabilizer used in the paste or filling and the amount of solids in the paste or filling. The stabilizer for the high solids paste or fillings, which could be used in the cold processing technology, was alginates. When using alginates for a stabilizer in the cold process technology, the fruit paste or filling formed into a gel which was somewhat chunky. This was especially true at high solids levels. The gel matrix using an alginate inhibited heat transfer through the filling or paste to increase bake stability; however, alginate gels did have the limitation of being chunky and unable to exhibit a creamy texture or a controlled texture for the filling or paste. The final texture of the paste was not controllable and was always chunky. Indeed, the alginate gels could form properly in only acid environments, which somewhat limited the taste or flavor constituents which could be used in the filling or paste. Such cold processes could not be used for chocolate or carmel which does not have the acid characteristics of a fruit based filling or paste.
At this time the commercial cold process for fruit based fillings and paste involves the use of alginate stabilizer, which forms a chunky constituency caused by a gel structure. Consequently, there can be no control over the texture and consistency of the end product. The consistency and texture of the end product, when using cold processing for a fruit filling or paste, is dictated by the alginate gel characteristics, which are not completely satisfactory even though they can be used when the fruit filling is to be baked within the confines of a dough structure. This prior fruit paste was used as the internal filling for a fruit bar. There is no cold process that has the ability to adjust the texture and consistency of a filling or paste that is bake stable at high solids content and that can be used for both acid and neutral pastes. Consequently, the cold process technology with its economic advantages, is seriously limited when applied to oven stable or bake stable fillings or paste used as fillings or toppings for baked products, especially when the paste or filling must have a high solids content. Such high solids pastes have high corn syrup and high levels of fruit and are normally used in quality baked products.
There is a substantial need for an oven stable or bake stable filling or paste produced by a cold process technology and allowing control of the constituency and texture of the filling or paste while accommodating both high solids content and flavoring or taste agents with various pH levels. The present invention relates to a cold process technology for producing fruit based, bake stable, texture controlled filling or paste for use in baked products. A filling or paste formed in accordance with the present invention is capable of being formed by a cold process technology and produces a filling or paste with the desired smooth texture, which paste is still bake stable.
In practice, bake stability of a paste or filling is tested by molding a selected volume of the filling or paste, approximately ten grams, into a disk which is approximately 8 mm in height and has a diameter of 36 mm. The disk of filling or paste is placed upon a metal sheet and the mold ring forming the disk is removed. The sheet is heated to 400xc2x0 F. in a conventional oven. The filling or paste on the metal sheet is heated for at least ten minutes. The molded disk is then measured with a caliper to determine the amount of spread of the filling or paste after being heated at 400xc2x0 F. for ten minutes. The filling or paste constituted in accordance with the present invention can be cold processed and still meet the stringent heat stability test by drooping less than 2-3%. Indeed, in most instances there is not perceptible spread or droop of the paste during this standard testing. A paste made in accordance with the invention meets this test and allows control of the texture of the paste or filling and use of various flavor agents. This is the advantage of the present invention. In addition, the bake stability is maintained at high solids content, i.e. about 60-65%.
The bake stability and other characteristics of the present invention, such as controlling the texture and consistency of the paste or filling, is accomplished in the present invention by the use of two granular instant starches, which starches do not require heat to be hydrated. They are set by exposure to free water. The two starches involve a thickening starch and a gelling starch, which two starches are added to the paste separately as a blend and are incorporated in various ratios dependent upon the characteristics desired for the final paste. Consequently, by the use of the present invention, the two starches can be adjusted to dictate the consistency and texture of the filling or paste constructed in accordance with the present invention. The thickening starch is a natural starch and the gel starch is a modified starch. The critical aspect of the present invention is the use of the two instant corn starches, one having a thickening characteristic and the other having a gelling characteristic, which starches can be adjusted to control physical characteristics of the final paste or filling. The ratio of the starches is determined by the application and characteristics of the desired end product. It has been found that these two starches must be dispersed within the liquid phase or liquid constituent of the paste or filling prior to the time that the starches are hydrated by free water. Otherwise, the end result does not give the texture control and heat stability demanded by a filling or paste to be used as a bake stable food ingredient for a baked food product. A characteristic of the paste or filling constructed in accordance with the cold process of the present invention is that the paste or filling, when using more gelling starch, can form a skin during the baking process so that a roller or other equipment surface contacting the exposed paste or filling will not cause pick-up of paste. In addition, paste or filling constructed in accordance with the present invention is pumpable or can flow through a gravity depositor onto the bake product prior to the baking operation; however, the viscosity of the paste or filling remains substantially constant during the heating process so that the filling or paste does not spread during the baking operation.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, microcrystalline cellulose with a small amount of carboxymethyl cellulose is added to the liquid phase after being particulated in a high speed, high shear mixer. This cellulose is masticated to a small size of strands less than one micron in length. By ultra fine particulation of the cellulose, the cellulose can be evenly dispersed throughout the liquid phase or liquid constituent of the filling or paste during cold processing without affecting viscosity while the fiber material of the cellulose forms mechanical links in the mass of the filling or paste. The cellulose also limits the heat transfer through the stable mass of filling or paste, without actually adding to the viscosity of the filling or paste. By highly particulating the microcrystalline cellulose into ultra fine needle like particles and fully dispersing these small particles throughout the liquid phase of the filling or paste prior to ultra rapid dispersing of the starch blend stabilizer into the liquid phase, the ultra fine cellulose particles create a linking effect that does not increase the viscosity, but does enhance firmness and the bake stability of the filling or paste constructed in accordance with the present invention.
Although the present invention has primary application for use with high solids fillings or pastes, it has been found that the ultra rapid dispersion of the starch blend can be used for low solids fillings or paste since the high speed dispersion of the starch blend is done before the large quantity of free water can set the separate starches. The invention is more applicable to pastes or fillings with over 65% solids since these products have been the most difficult to produce in a smooth or creamy form while being oven stable or bake stable. If a higher viscosity is required for the paste or filling constructed in accordance with the present invention, this paste or filling must still meet the stringent bake test as described above. This is accomplished by employing the two separate instant cold starches forming an aspect of the present invention with other cold process starches. These additional starches add viscosity and/or texture to the paste or filling.
The present invention relates to the composition of a filling or paste, which composition is accomplished by a cold process technology. The invention involves the use of two instant starches, wherein one starch is a thickening starch and the other starch is a gelling starch. These two starches are formed into a dry blend at a ratio which determines the consistency of the end product. This two starch blend is dispersed within the liquid phase or component of the filling or paste prior to the time of hydrogenation of the individual instant starches. The subsequent setting of the dispersed blend produces a novel food ingredient. This food ingredient is produced by a cold process technology wherein the two starches are used as a dry component. Of course, the two starches can be dispersed with a corn syrup which does not have free water available for hydrogenation. It has been determined that the use of low temperature corn syrup is preferred. The mix, or blend, of two starches is a dry, or substantially water free component used in the cold process technology. If microcrystalline cellulose is to be used to enhance the consistency of the product, this cellulose is masticated in water under an extremely high shear for 4-5 minutes. This action fractures the cellulose into ultra fine needle like particles, which are smaller than the normal particle size of dispersed microcrystalline cellulose. Since the microcrystalline cellulose is particulated in water, the remaining liquid material to be used in the filling or paste is added to the mixture of water and ultra finely divided microcrystalline cellulose to produce a liquid phase or component. This liquid phase is ultra rapidly combined with the dry, or substantially water free, blend of starches to produce a product which is packed immediately to accomplish the bake stability property obtainable by practicing the present invention. The ultra rapid combining of the dry, or substantially water free, starch blend and the liquid phase disperses the combined starch phase into the liquid phase prior to setting of the separate starches. Dispersion of the starches before the starch set produces bake stability in the end product as well as desired physical characteristics for this product. The paste is different than a paste which experiences setting of the starches prior to combining the starches with the liquid phase or during the time the starches are being combined with the liquid phase. The paste or filling constructed in accordance with the present invention has a unique characteristic. The gelled and set starches are hydrated after being dispersed in the liquid phase and not before dispersion or during dispersion. The novel characteristics of the paste are identifiable in the end product and results in the advantages of a paste or filling constructed in accordance with the present invention.
The present invention involves a cold process, bake stable fruit paste including a fruit, water, corn syrup and a stabilizer system comprising a blend of a first instant granular corn starch hydratable into a highly viscous free standing mass when exposed to free water and a second instant granular natural corn starch hydratable by free water to form a resilient, colloidal gel structure with the first and second starches hydrated after being fully dispersed in the paste. By rapidly dispersing the instant granular corn starches in the liquid phase of the paste prior to hydration by the free water of the paste, a unique consistency is obtained for the paste, which consistency is controllable by the ratio of the first and second starches in the stabilizer blend. As an aspect of the invention, the second starch is the gelling starch of the stabilizer system is at least 10% of the total weight of the starch blend and preferably 10-40% of the total weight of the starch blend. The novel paste of the present invention can include a finely divided microcrystalline cellulose. Finely divided indicates that it is particulated drastically into small needle-like particles in the range of less than one micron. These particles control heat conduction through the paste, without causing a decrease in the viscosity of the paste as it is being heated during the baking operation. To increase the texture of the paste, the paste includes, a bulking agent, i.e. apple powder or dry fructose, such as KRYSTAR 300. A paste formulated in accordance with the present invention has a smooth consistency that is adjusted by changing the ratio of the thickening corn starch to the gelling corn starch. In some food products, such as Fig Newton bars, the fruit paste is modified by the inclusion of texture control cold process starches to add a pulpy consistency to the novel paste.
A paste formulated in accordance with the present invention and processed by a cold process technology is first pumpable and can be pumped to a packing station. In the packing station the paste or filling of the present invention is allowed to set. The starch blend in the paste is dispersed evenly throughout the liquid phase of the paste and is combined as a dual starch stabilizing system prior to the setting of the paste. This procedure provides the unique characteristics obtained by the present invention when using a cold process technology. A paste utilizing the present invention will allow the paste to withstand 400xc2x0 F. for ten minutes with less than 5% droop and preferably less than 1% droop. This property was heretofore obtainable only by hot process technology, especially when used for a variety of pH based compositions having a high solids content. These are properties of most bake stable fruit pastes used in baked products filled by, or covered with, a fruit based food ingredient.
The invention can be defined as a cold process pumpable oven stable, fruit based food ingredient for use in producing a baked food item wherein the ingredient has a solid content of at least 60% and a water activity of less than 0.7. The paste includes a fruit concentrate, a corn syrup sweetener, a free water containing component and a stabilizing system to control the consistency, viscosity and mouth feel of the resulting paste after it is pumped and allowed to set. The set paste can also be pumped onto or into a baked product prior to the baking operation. The stabilizing system includes a blend of a first instant granular corn starch and at least 10% of a second instant granular corn starch. The first corn starch is a modified cold water thickening starch with moisture of less than 8% and a pH in the general range of 4.0-6.5. The starch is hydratable into a highly viscous free standing mass when ultimately exposed to free water. The second starch is a natural cold water gelling starch with moisture of less than 8% and a pH in the general range of 4.0-6.5. This gelling starch is hydrated by free water to form a resilient, colloidal gel structure. By combining these two starches into a stabilizing system for the bake stable filling or paste, the consistency, flowability, viscosity and texture of the paste can be controlled. This novel stabilizing system is activated by ultra rapidly dissolving the instant starch blend in a liquid phase having free water at low temperatures before the starches are individually hydrated by the free water. The stabilizing blend of instant corn starches sets up as a blend or starch combination in the fruit based mass serving as a matrix. The paste has a consistency dependent upon the ratio of the first and second starches in the starch blend stabilizing system. This is a novel concept not heretofore used in the bake stable or oven stable food product industry.
The cold process food ingredient or paste can also include a colloidal cellulose mechanically divided at high shear to form ultra small particles so that the particles are evenly dispersed in the free water containing component of the food ingredient or paste. In practice, this colloidal cellulose is formed from a cellulose which is primarily a microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) with a small amount of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). In accordance with the invention, the cold process pumpable, oven stable fruit based ingredient or paste of the present invention involved dissolution of the starch blend stabilizer system into the liquid component of the paste or ingredient in a rapid process performed in less than 60 seconds and preferably between 5-30 seconds. To obtain the desired results, the blend of instant starches is set by the free water of the free water component in the paste or food ingredient after the starch blend stabilizing system is fully dispersed in the free water component of the paste or filling. After the dispersion of the stabilizer system in the paste or food ingredient, it is allowed to set to produce the novel food ingredient or paste of the present invention. This paste or food ingredient can be used for neutral acid flavoring agents, such as chocolate or caramel, and can be used for solid content as low as about 40-50% solids; however, the preferred paste food ingredient or filling is a fruit based acid formulation with a brix or solids content greater than about 65.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cold process method of forming a food ingredient or paste, which method comprises the steps of providing a component low in free water and including a blend of a first granular corn starch and at least 10% of a second granular corn starch, wherein the first granular starch is a modified cold water thickening starch with moisture of less than 8% and pH in the general range of 4.0-6.5. This starch hydrates into a highly viscous free standing mass when ultimately exposed to free water. The second starch of the blend is a natural cold water gelling starch with moisture of less than 8% and pH in the range of 4.0-6.5. This starch hydrates to form a resilient colloidal gel structure. The inventive method involves maintaining the dry or low water component isolated from reactive free water and providing a liquid component having a sufficient free water to produce a food ingredient or paste with at least 60% solids. The liquid component also includes a high solid sweetener, a flavoring agent and a coloring agent. The dry or substantially water free component is blended into the liquid component to form a homogeneous mass in less than 60 seconds and preferably between 5-30 seconds. Thereafter, this homogenous mass of unhydrated combined starches is pumped into a holding station before the starches of the stabilizing blend are set by the free water exposed to the starches during the blending operation. Thereafter, the homogeneous mass is allowed to set so the starches of the blend set up due to the free water in the liquid component only after the starches are fully dissolved and dispersed in the liquid component to form the novel food ingredient or paste. By using this inventive method, an additional step can be provided wherein the ratio of the instant starches in the stabilizing system is adjusted to control the consistency of the food ingredient or paste produced by using the present invention. In practice, the food ingredient is a fruit puree; however, it can be chocolate or caramel, or other generally acid neutral food ingredient. The free water is controlled to create a water activity of less than 0.70.
A primary object of the present invention is the provision of a method and formulation, which method and formulation produce a bake stable food ingredient filling or paste by using a stabilizing system involving a blend of an instant modified corn starch hydratable into a thickening mass, such as a pudding, and an instant natural corn starch hydratable into a gelled colloidal structure. The method and formulation involve controlling the ratio of the two starches to give a desired consistency. The stabilizing system is dispersed in the food ingredient filling or paste prior to the hydration of the individual starches. This method uses a cold process technology and the formulation is prepared by a cold process technology to result in a novel food ingredient, filling or paste that is oven stable and pumpable onto a baked product prior to baking.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a method and formulation, as defined above, which method and formulation not only uses cold process technology, but also results in a food ingredient, filling or paste that can be deposited onto a dough product prior to baking and is maintained on the product, or in the product, during the baking process without losing its shape, consistency or texture.
Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a method and formulation, as defined above, which method and formulation is useful for producing a fruit based food ingredient, filling and/or paste which is oven stable, has a high solids content and has a low water activity.
Still a further object of the present invention is the provision of a method and formulation, as defined above, which method and formulation results in a product which can have an adjustable consistency. The formulation can be modified by solid flavoring agents, color agents, bulking agents and related constituents to modify the end result so long as the novel stabilizing system is maintained.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a method and formulation, as defined above, which method and formulation produces a bake stable food ingredient, filling or paste that is less expensive and has physical characteristics at least equal to a hot process technology stable food ingredient.
Another object of the invention is the provision of a method and formulation, as described above, which method and formulation produces a smooth or creamy paste with an adjustable consistency and is bake stable even at high solids content.
These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken together with the accompanying drawings.